"Andrzej, see how beautiful it is here! Andrzej, look, the water looks like it's liquid gold!"
Dominik Śliwiński ran from one place to another, like an excited little child visiting an amusement park for the first time. Only that Dominik was not a child and they were not in an amusement park, but on the Bug River, where Bambus had his summer house. It was also not their first visit to this place, and their third, if Andrzej was counting well.
The young actor really loved this place. This was evident in his enthusiastic demeanor, but most of all in his bright aquamarine eyes that shone like two hot suns.
Andrzej laughed seeing Dominik running among the trees, disappearing among the bushes and stumbling over clumps of moss. Only two days ago, he was in such a bad mood!
Two days, however, is a long time. If a person spends it only dwelling on the past and waiting idly for the situation to develop, these two days will last forever, but if one finds the courage and takes action, that time passes quickly like a snap of a finger.
Andrzej found out only after the fact that Dominik had contacted the CBA. The young actor voluntarily made testimony and stated that he was at disposal of this government agency. Śliwiński spent many hours there and came back tired both physically and mentally, but his heart was calmer than in the morning.
However, the young actor was far from in a good mood. Dominik entered adulthood alongside Marczak, discovering his eroticism with him, and for seven years he was associated with him as strongly as even the most loving couples are not connected. Testifying against Marczak was morally good, but it did not mean that Śliwiński would feel good about it. If you've spent almost a third of your life with someone as close as Dominik was with Marek, a certain sentiment stays in your heart forever.
In addition, Śliwiński had one more bad news.
"As for the Adrian case," he said, "the potential pimping charges are now time-barred. That party was over five years ago. I thought that maybe Marek would be punished for leading to suicide, but the case is also time-barred and the police will not start an investigation. Anyway, even if it were so, this case would not qualify under Article 151. I think that is why miss Shmidt was in no hurry to refer the case to the prosecutor's office."
"So what?" Andrzej asked upset. "Marczak will not be punished?"
"He may be accused of paying a bribe. This case has not expired. It will not be easy to prove it, and anyway... he is not the target, but corrupt politicians are."
"So what, so he's actually going to be totally unpunished?" Nowicki could not hide his disappointment and frustration. "He has to pay for what he did!"
"He will pay" Dominik promised. "Miss Shmidt has a good plan. This plan will hit Marek in his reputation and down his pocket, and it will hurt him the most. Besides, there are definitely cases newer than five years, so all we have to do is persuade his victims to come out. Although it won't be easy to do."
Nowicki had no doubts that this task would be very difficult. After all, which sexual crime victim wants to tell the world about this? It is difficult to do this to an ordinary, unknown person, but if the case is so public and certainly involves many famous people, victims will certainly fear disclosure. After all, Andrzej remembered how terrified Dominik was after the attack by Marczak.
Frightened by the public humiliation and shame.
However, Śliwiński probably had a different idea of the situation, as he was sure that Marczak would be punished. Who knows, maybe Dominik has already talked about this with some of his colleagues?
Anyway, Śliwiński regained his composure and looked at the whole situation with courage. He was a completely different person from the one Andrzej met a year ago, but he was equally wonderful and delightful. Nowicki loved the new Dominik.
Although no, the old and new Dominik were not completely different people. The only difference between them was that the present Dominik did not rely entirely on Marczak, but above all on himself. This one difference made the overall impression quite different too.
Andrzej was immensely proud of him!
But this place really worked for Śliwiński like some healing balm. Already on the way, the young actor showed joy that they would spend the weekend in a cabin by the Bug River, but when he got out of the car he practically turned into a child full of joyful enthusiasm.
Nowicki was glad that he had this conversation with Bambus yesterday. He hesitated for a long time, but finally called his friend with a less-than-little request.
"You really like this place," noted Andrzej as he walked towards the bank of the river where Dominik was standing.
It was actually a cliff, but the view from it was truly stunning. Across the river stretched green meadows and farmlands gilded with grains. There were villages and forests beyond. The river meandered in a beautiful undulating ribbon, and in fact the rays of the sun falling on the water gave the impression that they had liquid gold in front of their eyes.
"Very" admitted Dominik and, moving towards Andrzej, he embraced his arm and put his head on his shoulder. "It is quiet and peaceful, but full of life. I feel much more at ease here than in a city full of people. Maybe it's because I grew up almost in the countryside?"
"'Almost' makes a big difference," noted Andrzej. "From what I can remember, you lived in the suburbs."
"Yes, of a small town. Two kilometers away and you would already see farmland."
"If you like this place so much," Nowicki announced, "it's yours from today."
"I beg your pardon?" Dominik was surprised, breaking away from Andrzej's shoulder. His hazel-colored hair rippled in the gentle breeze. "What did you just say?"
"I wanted to tell you this tonight, over a romantic dinner, but I don't think I'm very good at keeping secrets. This is my gift for you," explained Nowicki. "This land, This house. I asked Bambus to resell the place to me. He doesn't use it practically anyway..."
Dominik looked at him in surprise, as if he still didn't understand the meaning of Nowicki's words.
"Bambus bought this place a long time ago," the photographer continued, feeling strange under Dominik's gaze. "He used it a while ago, but now he's busy, his taste has changed anyway..."
Andrzej was unable to finish this sentence because his mouth was gagged with Dominik's mouth. The young actor climbed on his toes and kissed Nowicki so hard that the photographer almost ran out of breath.
"Are you so happy?" Nowicki was surprised when Śliwiński released his mouth.
"Yes," admitted the actor. "This place is special to me, but I am glad not because you gave it to me, but because you gave it to me, knowing how much I like it. You have given me not a thing, not a place, but another proof of how much you know me and care for me. Thank you!"
Andrzej blushed embarrassed. 'Another proof', right? So there were also earlier ones? Nowicki never thought about proving his love to Dominik. What was in between them unfolded so naturally, though surprisingly intensely and quickly, that it didn't seem to need any proof.
"I just know how you like to spend your time here, and besides, you are so close to your family home that we can use it as a base when you visit your parents."
Suddenly Dominik's eyes grew strangely sly.
"Well, just like last time," he smiled, reminding them of their Christmas visit. Śliwiński spent Easter on a film set abroad, so they could not come to visit. "Lunch at the parents' house, and the night..."
Dominik suspended his voice on purpose, leaving the rest to Nowicki's imagination. Ever since the photographer met this exceptional man, his imagination strangely often turned to very indecent directions.
Andrzej swallowed hard.
"But dinner at your parents' place isn't until tomorrow," he observed.
"Exactly. And what will we do with that…?"
The question hung in the air forcing Andrzej to think, but it could not remain unanswered indefinitely…